Friday, February 25, 2022

Putin Suggests Ukrainian Military Seize Power From 'Gang of Junkies, Neo-Nazis in Kiev
Russian President Vladimir Putin  - Sputnik International, 1920, 25.02.2022
The Russian president announced on 24 February the start of a special military operation in Ukraine to defend the Donetsk and Lugansk People's republics (DPR and LPR) from the attacks of the Ukrainian forces.
President Vladimir Putin has addressed the Russian Security Council to discuss the latest updates in the context of the Russian special operation in Ukraine.
Read the full text of his speech:
Good afternoon, dear colleagues!
Today we will discuss the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine.
The main clashes of the Russian Army, as expected, are not taking place with regular units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but with nationalist formations, which, as you know, are directly responsible for the genocide in Donbass and the bloodshed of civilians in the people's republics.
In addition, the nationalist elements embedded in the regular Ukrainian units not only incite them to offer armed resistance, but, in fact, play the role of blocking units.
Moreover, according to the available information, and this is confirmed by the results of objective control, we see that Bandera supporters and neo-Nazis are deploying heavy weapons, including multiple launch rocket systems, right in the central regions of large cities, including Kiev and Kharkov. They plan to provoke return fire from Russian strike systems on residential areas. In fact, they act in the same way as terrorists do around the world, hiding behind people in the hope of later blaming Russia for the civilian casualties.
It is known that all this is happening on the recommendation of foreign instructors, primarily American advisers.
Once again, I appeal to the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Do not allow neo-Nazis and Bandera supporters to use your children, your wives, and elderly people as human shields. Take power into your own hands. It seems that it will be easier for us to come to an agreement than with this gang of junkies and neo-Nazis, who settled in Kiev and took the entire Ukrainian people hostage.
I also want to give the highest assessment to the actions of Russian soldiers and officers. They act courageously, professionally, heroically, fulfilling their military duty, successfully solving the most important task of ensuring the security of our people and our fatherland.

Putin calls on Ukraine military to seize power to better negotiate with Russia

By Karen Graham
Published February 25, 2022

Russian President Vladimir Putin called on the Ukrainian military to seize power in their country on Friday, a day after Moscow launched an invasion of its southern neighbor.

Speaking during Friday’s meeting of his Security Council, Putin claimed that most Ukrainian military units are reluctant to engage with the Russian forces.

Putin also claimed that the Ukrainian military is made up of right-wing radical nationalists, although he offered no evidence for his claims

“I once again appeal to the military personnel of the armed forces of Ukraine: do not allow neo-Nazis and (Ukrainian radical nationalists) to use your children, wives, and elders as human shields,” Putin said at a televised meeting with Russia’s security council, according to Reuters.

“Take power into your own hands, it will be easier for us to reach an agreement.”

The Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, tells reporters that Ukrainian officials have stopped responding to Russia’s proposal to hold talks in Belarus, according to the New York Times.

He says Ukrainians are setting up multiple-launch rocket systems in residential neighborhoods in Kyiv and elsewhere. “We believe this situation to be extremely dangerous,” Mr. Peskov said in a hastily arranged call with reporters.

In the meantime, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe is considering whether to suspend Russia as a member, and a decision is due soon, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Friday,

The Council of Europe is separate from the European Union and was formed after the Second World War to protect human rights and the rule of law.

“The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, on the initiative of Ukraine and Poland, launched the procedure for suspending Russia’s membership in the Council of Europe. Final decision coming soon,” Morawiecki wrote on Twitter, reports the Business Standard.

Do protests show Russians don't buy Putin's 'Nazi' Ukraine rhetoric? It's too early to tell

According to Russian officials Ukraine is a threat to Russia and is being run by a clique of Nazi and pro-Western puppets acting on behalf of the oligarchs.


Dominic Waghorn
International Affairs Editor @DominicWaghorn
Friday 25 February 2022
Hundreds protest in St Petersburg to voice their opposition to Putin's invasion of Ukraine

The official version of this war being pushed in Russian state media is it is a special military operation limited to eastern Ukraine and Crimea.

Russian troops moving from the breakaway self-styled people's republics are being welcomed as liberators, say officials.

Ukraine is run by a clique of Nazis and pro-Western puppets in the pocket of oligarchs, say the Russians.

The country needs to be liberated from Nazism and militarism, says foreign minister Sergei Lavrov.

Troops enter Kyiv: follow like Ukraine updates

A spokesperson from Russia's finance ministry told Sky News 'there is a need to resort to such methods' when asked about Ukrainian casualties.

Pretty rich from a government that's just launched possibly the biggest military campaign in Europe since the Second World War.

Do the Russians buy it? It's too early to say.

Certainly not the hundreds if not thousands of brave Russians who came out to protest in more than 50 countries last night.

1:09
Play Video - Moscow: Arrests at anti-war protest

Hundreds of people took to the streets in Russia, condemning Putin's decision to launch an invasion of Ukraine. Over 1,700 anti-war protesters have been arrested across 53 Russian cities.

Only the bravest would dare demonstrate given the government's repressive intolerance of dissent so there will be many more who would have wanted to join them.

They are likely to be reading the truth about this operation from international media.

The majority of Russians though will be receiving the official line from state media that Ukraine is a threat to Russia that requires this special military operation.

Read more: What is happening and where is Ukraine under attack?

Claims Russian troops are being welcomed by Ukrainians as liberators, however fake, will reassure them this is necessary.

Polls so far suggest that Russian sympathy for Ukrainians has reduced since Vladimir Putin recognised the breakaway republics in the Donbas and Russian state-owned media justified it with claims of Ukrainian attacks.

Polls also suggest the majority of Russians blame the current crisis on Kyiv and Washington.

Image:Russian President Vladimir Putin gets animated

As the bigger picture becomes clear, that this is in reality a much larger military operation, it is harder to predict Russian public sentiment.

In particular when Russians start coming home in body bags in considerable numbers.

News of significant numbers of Ukrainian casualties is also likely to reduce public support.

For that reason most analysts have said Putin has only a small window in which to carry out this offensive.

That assumes he cares about public support. His rule has become increasingly autocratic and repressive.

On a war footing his government will have more leeway to crush dissent. Opposition will be condemned as unpatriotic.

The securocratic elite that supports him will become more entrenched in power.

In the short to intermediate term that is likely to secure Putin's grip on power and that may be his primary motive for this action.

But longer term, turning Russia into a pariah state with a weaker and weaker economy damages his legacy and may weaken his chances of securing his future and succession.

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